5 Steps To Building A Solid List Strategy
Building prospect lists can be challenging and sometimes frustrating – but it doesn’t have to be.
If you start with a solid strategy, the execution can be simple. The goal of a list building strategy is to review the qualifiers that make up the types of companies where your best opportunities lie. And key is staying focused.
In this post, I’m going to dig down into the 5 steps that will get you on the road to developing a kick-butt list building strategy.
A qualifier: these steps are mostly questions you need to ask yourself, so get ready to do a little work:
#1. Analyze your Business
Take a look at the makeup of your firm. Where does your current work lie? What kind of clients are you most often working with. Which are the most profitable, the least time consuming, the greatest joy to work with? Are you spread out among multiple sectors, or, are you more focused?
Additionally, ask yourself where your strengths and weaknesses lie, what sets you apart from other companies operating in your space? What defines you amongst your peers?
#2. Industry Analysis
Look at the industries you serve. If you have multiple industries you may want to focus your efforts, so determining true fit during any given time period will be an important factor.
For example, are there cyclical considerations that would eliminate or push up a certain sector’s timeline for prospecting? You need to not only think about what you’re building, but when you think the best time is to prospect a given sector.
#3. Geography
Leverage commonality. There are some real efficiencies that can be gained if you’re working with clients that are in the same geography…but obviously that’s not always going to work that way.
#4. Revenue
Proven track record shows that your best opportunities will be amongst those companies within the same revenue range as your current clients.
Start there. And stay there for awhile.
#5. Titles
Typically we like to focus on VP and Director level contacts because those are our decision makers – BUT – this can absolutely fluctuate based on the size of the company we’re targeting.
Don’t be afraid to attack a company on all different levels if the first go-around wasn’t a fit.
Just remember, a successful outreach program is dependent on the quality of prospects on your list- and it all starts with the strategy. Get it done!
